The Buffalo Bills addressed a major need on their roster by selecting LSU cornerback Tre’Davious White in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft.

According to new coach Sean McDermott, cornerback has been looked at a position of need for quite some time, to him at least. This is because of past experiences with the team McDermott was once the defensive coordinator for, the Carolina Panthers.

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In an interview just minutes after the selection of White, McDermott said that he is “learning from experience” in taking a cornerback in the first round. However, it’s not necessarily a great experience. McDermott is referring to his Panthers’ defense with and without Josh Norman, an elite cornerback who left Carolina after the 2015 season.

The Panthers had the sixth-best defense in the league in 2015, giving up just 5,167 yards throughout the year. In a secondary anchored by Norman, Carolina allowed just over 3,700 passing yards throughout the season, among the best in the league. Although the Panthers were obviously led by their offense, their defense helped them win the NFC championship and appear in the Super Bowl.

Norman left Carolina and signed with the Washington Redskins in the offseason, and his departure had a huge impact on the Panthers’ defense. They dropped from the sixth best defense to the 11th worst, giving up over 5,700 yards on the year. Their pass defense worsened significantly, as the team allowed nearly 4,300 passing yards in 2016.

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McDermott now obviously realizes how important it is to have an elite cornerback. His once Super Bowl-caliber defense turned into a mediocre one due to the departure of Josh Norman.

Fortunately, it looks as though the Bills may have found an elite cornerback in Tre’Davious White. The five-foot-eleven defensive back is extremely versatile and can play in nearly every role McDermott asks of him.

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Buffalo’s coach has “learned from experience,” and knows that an elite corner is crucial for a successful defense. He likely feels as though he’s found his guy in Tre’Davious White.